MSHA: No mines in U.S. have pattern of violations

By |  October 1, 2021

Logo: MSHA

The Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) found for the seventh year in a row that none of the 12,000 mine operations in the U.S. met its criteria for a pattern of violations screening.

MSHA says the screenings are one of its toughest enforcement tools.

During the annual screening, which took part from Aug. 1, 2020, to July 31, 2021, MSHA found no pattern of violations notices. The Federal Mine Safety & Health Act of 1977 includes the pattern of violations provision for mines that pose the greatest risk to miner safety and health – particularly those with chronic violation records.

“While the pattern of violations provision gives us an enhanced enforcement tool that alerts us to mine operations with the most serious violations, we know more must be done to prevent mining fatalities,” says Jeannette Galanis, principal deputy assistant secretary at MSHA. “We have seen too many tragic incidents in 2021, and we encourage mine operators to intensify their efforts to ensure the safety, health and well-being of their miners.”

MSHA provides mine operators with online tools to help monitor their compliance. The pattern of violations tool informs operators how they rate against the screening criteria and when appropriate corrective actions are needed. MSHA’s S&S rate calculator enables operators to monitor their “significant and substantial” violations.

Jack Kopanski

About the Author:

Jack Kopanski is the Managing Editor of Pit & Quarry and Editor-in-Chief of Portable Plants. Kopanski can be reached at 216-706-3756 or jkopanski@northcoastmedia.net.

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